As the spring semester rolls on, stressful thoughts of entering the “real world” and finding a job begin to take a toll on the student population. In the tradition of the “Aggie Network,” there is a new resource available to these harried scholar-job seekers: the ultimate job search website, created by an A&M graduate, of course.
Rony Kahan graduated from Texas A&M in 1989 with a degree in economics and went on to ride the cyber-business highway, creating the highly successful site Indeed.com. His site allows job seekers to search positions from thousands of websites simultaneously, including company websites, job boards and newspaper classifieds. His objective: to save the time and energy of those looking for a career.
A great job—in less time
Kahan
“We created Indeed.com with the goal of putting the job seeker first,” says Kahan, whose website has recently been mentioned in articles in Forbes and The Wall Street Journal, and was listed among the Top Ten Websites of 2007 by Time magazine.
Kahan adds, “It is true that the job search process is easier—for everyone. Tools have evolved for both job seekers and employers so I believe the improved processes make it easier for the right employer and job seeker to find each other.”
With increasing numbers of job search engines and the growing success of websites such as Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com, you might think that the sites threaten one another. This is not the case, according to Kahan. He says that there are two distinct types of job search sites that generally cooperate, rather than compete. Search engines such as Indeed.com provide a list of job opportunities, linking searchers to the larger sites (like Monster) that actually process resumes and create communication between companies and prospects.
However, just because you can apply for hundreds of jobs a day with a few keystrokes doesn’t mean that you should. According to the experts in the Mays Graduate Business Career Services office, it’s a combination of using this new technology along with traditional search techniques that offer the best results.
Tried and true and still working today
In the past, there were three key elements to a successful job search: a classy resume, a well-written cover letter, and networking. Today, many young people are overlooking these elements due to the ease of mass application-drops via the Internet. Experts are saying, however, these classic job-search methods are still vital.
Classic job-search methods such as networking are still important.
“It’s very important that in the process, people understand that you have to take the initiative and establish the relationship. Part of that relationship is getting up and getting out and doing [networking],” said Jim Dixey, director of Graduate Business Career Services.
Because the process is so simple, Kahan warns job seekers of the danger of limiting their search to Internet sites only. Often referred to as a “black hole,” cyberspace is massive, and when a resume is sent to a job site, the odds of an employer seeing it may be slim. In response to this concern, Kahan and other job search experts suggest narrowing the online search to a few preferred positions and creating a unique cover e-mail displaying knowledge of the selected firms.
“There are many applicants for jobs, but few applicants that take the time to create a personalized, well-written cover letter or e-mail,” offers Kahan.
The best advice is to never neglect the tried and true practice of networking, as these connections often lead to professional opportunities that may have otherwise been overlooked.
“You’re going to have more success using the traditional route of meeting people face to face,” says Cindy Billington, associate director of master’s career education and advising at Mays.
Billington adds that Internet job sites target the passive searcher, making the searching process less of a hassle. And less time spent filtering through job listings means more time for networking and perfecting a resume and cover letter.
Facebook: friend or foe?
‘Networking? No problem!’ says many a current college student. However, their idea of networking is often in the virtual realm, rather than face to face. This can be both a blessing and a curse in a business setting.
The rise of virtual networks such as Facebook.com and MySpace.com provide yet another chance for job seekers to expand their group of “friends” and connect with prospective organizations that could lead to future employment. In addition to these social networking web pages, sites such as LinkedIn.com are targeted to display professional experience and make connections in the business world.
“On average each student has three to five virtual networks on which they spend at least one hour per day keeping up with friends online,” said Dixey.
These websites provide a method of using the Internet to build a professional network. Dixey explains that as these sites gain in popularity, more companies seek to enter the virtual world to recruit the “Millennials”—today’s talented college grads. This may prove highly beneficial to corporations, as online networks save travel dollars.
It’s not all good news for students, though: as employers gain more access to the networking sites, job seekers must be aware of the effect that items displayed on a profile may have on prospective corporations.
“The downside is you have to be judicious in how you use virtual networks. Anything a student puts online is public,” adds Dixey.
Brittany Brown is a Communications major and member of the Class of 2009. She is currently serving as the student writing intern for Mays Business Online.
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